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Thank You DJS Leaders

Rosario Jesús Treviño Yoson is a 2nd year majoring in Economics. They identify as a mixed queer transmasculine person using he/they pronouns. He plans to use their degree to address food insecurity. You can find him in the Diversity Center, the library, or the student radio station in the Neeb building. Dear DJS Student Leaders,      It has been an honor to organize your stories this year. When I started, I was a little lost. I hadn’t attempted something like this before. What I uncovered became larger than the website. In conversations I had with each of the writers, I sought to go deeper into their motivations, why they are committed to the work they do towards anti-racism; outside of school and sometimes unpaid. It is the right thing to do, but these students stepped farther, they took initiative and leadership in their own communities, rather than waiting for direction.       I was encouraged after hearing from a few writers “this conversation helped me examine some things” or “I h
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Recent posts

Look Out for the Future

  My name is Andre Jones II (He/Him) and I am a Global Studies Major. I am involved on campus and in the community in several roles. I am mostly recognized as an ASPLU senator class of ‘22. I am a part of GREAN club and SSC. However, I took the time allotted as a senator to focus a lot on issues regarding social justice. I look at social justice work as everyday trying to express oneself and using your voice towards developing your truest self, what you believe in and align with, all while implementing standards better than the past.   I found this year the intersectionality of Environmentalism, black and indigenous organizations within Sunrise Tacoma and coalitions alike to be so refreshing. I saw firsthand the importance of integration and collaboration between diversity, justice, and sustainability. Those values should be more ingrained with each other, and they may not be as independent as I thought. My ideology is that your next move should be your best and to take life one day at
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The Process of Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

  Shalom Wundimu (she/her) is a third year student majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Chemistry. On campus, Shalom currently serves as a Residential Assistant and Admissions Ambassador.       During my time at Pacific Lutheran University, one of the most valuable lessons I have learned is what it means to learn, unlearn, and relearn everything I have found to be “true.” However, recently I have accepted that these three concepts must work in unison with one another, as they serve as puzzle pieces. My intellectual curiosity has led me to discover that my identity is beyond my physical attributes or temporary interests but rather my ability to be a lifelong learner.       When this realization became apparent in my life, I started to think of the first houseplant I ever owned. At first, my plant displayed nothing short of perfection. From the pigment of the leaves to the stem of the plant, every inch radiated pure beauty. Through research, I adopted methods to preserve and
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Saying No and Building Boundaries

        My name is Alissa Ouanesisouk (she/her), double majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in management and Sociology. I’m currently on campus, as the RAAD of Ordal Hall and an Admission Ambassador.      How I stay well, doing anti-racist work is by learning to say “No” and enjoying my own alone time. Being a first-gen student we are constantly working, always needing to plan ahead and know what the future entails. We hold onto building that generational wealth we want for our family and community back at home and the only way we know how to do it is by working hard. Learning to take a step back and say “No” is still something I am constantly trying to achieve. This doesn’t have to be done through saying a complete “No”, but learning to say “I think I’m going to work on this on my own time”, or just not replying to a text sometimes!      Working in a place where I am living can take away my time and energy without me knowing it. You don’t have to do all the work,
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Growth Means Acknowledging Your Mistakes Out Loud

  Rebeca Salinas is a second year social work student. She uses she/her pronouns and identifies as a gay Chicana. As a result of her love for talking and socializing, the roles she plays on campus include Ordal RA & Latinx Unidos Ambassador.  Growth Means Acknowledging Your Mistakes Out Loud Everyone has things they have to apologize for. However, being put in a position where you have to willingly accept responsibility for something negative can be discouraging and even embarrassing. As a prideful person myself, I tend to try and do everything right the first time in order to avoid making a mistake I would have to apologize for later. I soon came to find out this mindset ended up being a barrier, preventing my growth in my DJS journey.  There are many things I have had to learn in order to deepen my understanding of the role systematic racism plays in our society today. I am privileged to have had resources and opportunities made accessible to me in order to be able to educate mys
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Diversity, Justice, and Sustainability Through My Eyes

      My name is Marae Tidwell (she/they) I am a Sociology Major with a minor in Communications. I hold many titles at PLU, my leading ones being Black Student Union President, the Access, Leadership, and Inclusion Student Engage Ambassador, and ASPLU ‘21 Senator. The obstacles I’d experienced at PLU compelled me to take on leadership positions but the struggles did not stop there. My story explains where I am now in my DJS -and leadership journey. Diversity, Justice, and Sustainability Through My Eyes      Diversity - the opposite of homogeneity or sameness. To represent a variety of identities, experiences, opinions, and perspectives      Justice - the balance and practice of equity and equality       Sustainability -  meeting the needs of the present in an equitable, efficient, fair, and lasting fashion       We have this idea that DJS work is all positive but it can be hard, it can be messy, it can be ugly, it can show true colors and true intentions. Even in a community as acc
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Dear Past Me

       My name is Hunter Hobbs (I picked it out myself and I love it) and I use he/him pronouns. I’m a senior and an English Literature and Classics double major.  I’m a trans man that predominantly works for RHA as Sustainability Director. I work with Sunrise Tacoma as well. On campus, you can either find me in my room, working at the library, or hanging out with my friends socially distanced.  Dear Past Me,            The world has changed and is much bigger than the school in which you were raised. You’ve moved past the school that had a museum of culture blocked on the internet. You moved past the place where if you were different then you had to endure the judging looks of the adults.                           There are more types of people than the ones who look and think like you. You moved into a state where it is safe and accepted to be different.  It’s okay to be different and if someone is different than you that’s okay too. It’s not your business to police someone else’s li
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